Tailgating by flashlight and candles are hardly in keeping with the great tradition of the Big Game. But don’t blame ESPN for Saturday’s 7:15 p.m. kickoff at Stanford Stadium. According to Pac-12 associate commissioner Duane Lindberg, Cal and Stanford both chose the prime-time national TV appearance over a regionally televised 12:30 p.m. start, which would have been seen by only 20 percent of the country. “We want the best games in the best times to the largest audience,” Lindberg said. Read More

For the first time in 61 years, Joe Paterno was not part of a Penn State football game on Saturday. That was, obviously, a good start. Penn State athletic director Tim Curley, vice president Gary Schultz and president Graham Spanier were also gone. This, too, was a necessary and appropriate step. Read More

For this week’s “Game of the Century,” you are presented a team with the longest major college football winning streak in the land, the Heisman Trophy favorite and the early morning arrival of that “look at me, Ma” presentation, ESPN’s “GameDay.” Yes, as the Stanford band plays, it’s all right now. Only 4½ years ago, however, it was all wrong. Read More

After reading the 23-page Pennsylvania state grand jury report outlining 40 counts of felony sexual abuse against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, I don’t know if I am more outraged by the allegations that he assaulted eight boys over a 15-year period or the subsequent behavior of university officials. Read More